Is age a factor in replacing tires?

[eflat]

I need a couple of new front tires but the rear one still have about 50% of their tread on them.

They are three or four years old, though, since I do not drive much.

 

[RKS]

they might have developed flat spots or dry-rot.

 

[Arkaign]

Depends on the quality of the tire and the environmental factors (heat, sun, humidity, etc). Generally, tires don't look too good after about 4-5 years.

 

[T2urtle]

flat spots normally only happen in cases where the car sits for a while, dry-rot on the other hand is due to the elements of nature. i'm agreeing with arkaign about 4-5 years is when tires start showing dry rot signs and etc.

 

[imported_wonderwrench]

Tires do age even if never used. If a tire looks good from the outside does not prove it's still safe. At some point a tire will become unsafe but there is no way to know exactly when this is.

Now I have used tires on my own cars that were 10 or more years old without problems. As a tire ages the speed rating aka safe max continuous speed drops. So if you have old tires do not drive at speeds near the tires speed rating. Also keep in mind most manufactures void their speed ratings if a tire has been repaired.

I have read that tires in the US are going have date codes on them at some point in the future. Tire dealers will only be allowed to keep a tire for so long before selling them. If not sold by a certain date the tire would have to be destroyed. My question is who is going to eat the loss? The dealer? In the end the consumers will be flipping the bill.

This same date code will limit the time a tire can be in service. How this is going to be enforced I have not heard. Looks like the consumers will get the shaft here also.

If in doubt best bet is to replace them.

 

[woodie1]

All tires sold in the USA have a date code now. Tires do age and the environment they encounter is what determines how fast they age.

EDIT: I should say all street legal tires sold in the USA have a DOT mandated date code in their sidewall. Been that way for years.

 

[imported_wonderwrench]

Are you talking about the cryptic dot codes that only a veteran can read? The new codes are to be readable by anyone and some type of enforcement used. If these have been out for years I must have missed them. The cryptic codes have been out forever and have never been used to determine when a tire is too old.

 

[woodie1]

How hard is it to figure out that: DOT 3804 means 38th week of 2004? Every gearhead I know has been able to break the "code" without breaking a sweat.

 

[rh71]

So if I were to buy a tire tomorrow, how old is too old for a new tire? Does it need to be at least new in the last 2 years or is that too old also?

I just checked my new car's new tires and it has "DOT B9XX" and a few other numbers elsewhere on the tire but nothing resembling 2 digits of recent years. I'm getting upgrades tomorrow so I'd like to be able to read the date...

 

[woodie1]

Originally posted by: rh71
So if I were to buy a tire tomorrow, how old is too old for a new tire? Does it need to be at least new in the last 2 years or is that too old also?

I just checked my new car's new tires and it has "DOT B9XX" and a few other numbers elsewhere on the tire but nothing resembling 2 digits of recent years.

When I buy new tires they have to be no more that 6 months old or they ain't new.

 

[woodie1]

Originally posted by: rh71
So if I were to buy a tire tomorrow, how old is too old for a new tire? Does it need to be at least new in the last 2 years or is that too old also?

I just checked my new car's new tires and it has "DOT B9XX" and a few other numbers elsewhere on the tire but nothing resembling 2 digits of recent years. I'm getting upgrades tomorrow so I'd like to be able to read the date...

The last 4 digits give you the date: Here's what is on my 2005 car-

DOT B9LM JHMX 3804

The 3804 is the date per the DOT. 34th week of 2004.

Most good tire shops rotate their stock so they never have anything over 6 months old.

 

[imported_wonderwrench]

Originally posted by: woodie1
How hard is it to figure out that: DOT 3804 means 38th week of 2004? Every gearhead I know has been able to break the "code" without breaking a sweat.

Duh no shit. Boy your an ars. The date codes you are talking about are production dates not the date the tire must be sold by or removed from service by. You can also tell the manufacturer and plant number by the dot codes duh.

 

[woodie1]

Originally posted by: wonderwrench

Originally posted by: woodie1
How hard is it to figure out that: DOT 3804 means 38th week of 2004? Every gearhead I know has been able to break the "code" without breaking a sweat.

Duh no shit. Boy your an ars. The date codes you are talking about are production dates not the date the tire must be sold by or removed from service by. You can also tell the manufacturer and plant number by the dot codes duh.

OK albert. Whatever you say.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: RKS
they might have developed flat spots or dry-rot.

After 3-4 years? I highly doubt it. Unless the car was sitting for the entire time the rear tires should still be fine.

Put the new tires in the rear and move the old ones to the front. Unless it's a high performance car and you are pushing it to high speeds occasionally, I would't worry about it.